Virgin Media talks up 'simple' mobile tariff revamp

Virgin Media is to launch a line of "incredibly compelling" - so no hyperbole there, then - mobile phone tariff next month which it pledged would be a paragon of simplicity "in a market traditionally littered with complicated options".

Pay monthly packages will run from £15 to £40 in £5 steps. That's for 18-month contracts - two-year tie-ins come at a fiver off, with a further £5 knocked off if you bring your own phone and you're a VM landline, TV or broadband subscriber.

Bundled minutes range from 100 to 1000, with unlimited texting provided on all but the initial £15-a-month package (18-month contract), which gives you 100 texts. It also gives to 200 minutes of free calls to other VM mobiles - all other contracts offer unlimited free calls.

Web access is up to 30p a day, or free on a £30 (18-month contract) or more package. In addition to the regular £25-a-month package, there will be a £25-a-month web deal which includes unlimited web usage.

SIM-only deals run from £10 to £20 a month, with 200-800 minutes bundled, unlimited texts and web access at 30p a day. The £20 deal comes with unlimited web access, as does a special £15 web package, though the latter only comes with 200 minutes - the regular £15 package has 400 minutes.

VM landline, broadband or TV customers pay £5 a month less than the above prices. These folk can also take out Simply 8, an 8p-a-minute / 8p-a-text PAYG package. Mobile web access costs up to 30p a day.

VM's revamp is due to kick off on 1 April. Orange is also due to refresh its pay monthly packages this week, on 31 March - exclusive details here. ®